


It’s Not the Winning, but the Taking Part

by ArkaneAssassin



Series: Moments of a Life [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 10:04:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19944376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArkaneAssassin/pseuds/ArkaneAssassin
Summary: Some wins are worth a lot more than others





	It’s Not the Winning, but the Taking Part

**_Execombe, 2008_ **

Why was she doing this again? It was a pointless question she knew, as she looked at supportive smiles on the hill to her right she knew exactly why she was doing this. They were definitely going to reward her for this.

She was shaken back to her current predicament as the loudspeaker began to talk again, instead concentrating on the implement in her hand. Arm outstretched, poised to perfection, calculating the balance of the front-loaded item. She breathed a calming sigh as she tried to focus, all she had to do was walk forward which was simple enough given the education she had as a child. Her eyes narrowed as the countdown began.

She could do this. She was going to do it.

* * *

“How did you find that Pans,” her fiancé’s annoyingly humourous voice came from her left, him being dragged slightly forward by the overactive six year old currently attached to his left hand.

“It was fine,” she huffed.

_It was a disaster._

“You’re really upset aren’t you,” he laughed to her further anguish.

“I came fifth Harry. Parkinsons do not come fifth. At worst we come a very close second that we convince everyone is actually winning.”

Harry’s free arm quickly found its way round her shoulders to offer a comforting squeeze, “So it turns out you’re not great at the egg and spoon race, you can’t be perfect at everything. At least now you know why all the other women were taking their shoes off while you stood there in your heels.”

“It’s an ensemble outfit Harry. And they were _blocks_ , it’s not like I was wearing a pair of high heels.”

“I’ll pretend I understand what you just meant. You do look lovely though,” he added with a lazy smile causing her to roll her eyes. She hoped so, she had put the effort in. Beach hat with bow, summery ruffle dress that came down to the knees and had a hinting though tasteful neckline, along with a pair of weave block heels and handbag that matched the hat.

She thought it looked lovely and given some of the glances she received others also appreciated it, though their partners probably not so much.

“Well next time tell them to make sure there isn’t a blo- big hole in the middle of my lane. I’m just glad I managed to avoid going over along with the egg.”

“True, though it was funny to watch you staring daggers at a smashed egg as though it had personally betrayed you.”

“Well it did. It was meant to stay on the spoon and it didn’t. Ergo, betrayal. Anyway, you’re just smug because you won your race.”

“Yes the “obstacle course”, also known as a bit of tarpaulin as a “tunnel” and a couple of benches to climb over.”

“Well you made it look very easy dear,” she announced as she reached up to squeeze where his hand lay. By now the trio had almost made it back home, the gate clearly in view causing James to run off ahead with his medal trailing behind him which he’d fittingly won for the 20m run, “both of you look very handsome with your medals.”

Harry looked down at his briefly before lifting it over his head and awkwardly working it round her hat, causing her to close her eyes to avoid getting poked in one. She didn’t open them until she felt both his hands on her shoulders slowly turning her, seeing that she was now facing him, “well you’re always number one to me,” he proclaimed before awkwardly moving under the brim of her hat for a kiss. When they finally parted Pansy had to laugh slightly.

“We both know that’s not entirely true,” she teased, tipping her head to the bored looking child sat on the front step staring at his shoes.

Harry laughed at that, “close second then.”

“ _Very_ close second I should hope,” she replied, flashing the engagement ring on her hand.

“No question.”

Their moment was interrupted by a shout however, “Daaaaad, can you open the door?”

“What word are you forgetting, James?”

“Now,” he answered sharply causing Pansy to hide a laugh behind her hand.

“Close enough,” her husband to be answered with a sigh. It’s clear James had inherited the rather brusque parts of both his parents which left no doubt which House he’d end up in. No sooner had Harry opened the door the young boy ran through into the lounge and collapsed on the sofa, abandoning the two adults, “I’ll go start tea then shall I?”

Pansy quickly grabbed his arm as he headed off, pulling him back to place her hat on him to comical effect, “hey. You’re at least a close second to me too,” before pushing him off. She headed into the living room to find James lying on his back and playing with his medal. She joined him on the sofa, “I see you really like that already?”

The young boy nodded and sat up, sitting up against her, “it’s brill. Where you get yours? You lost.”

Pansy had to supress an urge to call him rude. She knew he was just being honest at his age. Plus the toothy grin he was giving her as he looked up to her would melt even the coldest of hearts.

 _The young ladies of Hogwarts won’t know what hit them_.

“Your father gave it to me to look after.”

“Oh,” he replied before looking ahead at the switched off TV. She thought about turning it on before he suddenly hugged her, “thanks for coming Pany,” he said half buried into her arm. It He still struggled with the “s” in her name.

“Happy to be there, Trouble. Sorry I didn’t win,” she smiled down at him.

“That’s ok. You were great,” he comforted. She knew he was being kind. She didn’t think “great” was dropping the egg after six steps, and coming bottom half.

“So did you enjoy it,” she asked, feeling the nod against her arm, “you ran very fast,” she complemented, falling into the thing of leaving out “for a small child” for an otherwise average achievement. She removed him from her arm, letting him firmly lean against her side instead, and started to stroke his hair lightly which he seemed to enjoy.

“I just like to,” he said as though it was very obvious, “my teacher picks me to do it a lot.”

 _Probably also just to get him out of the classroom for five minutes_ , she thought well aware of how he tore around the house and garden at times.

“Well you’re very good at it all the same.”

“Yes, we’re very proud of you,” Harry announced as he came back into the room, joining them in the spot James vacated at the far end of the sofa. He closed the gap and placed his arm around the back of her shoulders once again, “and if you behave till the end of the week you’ll get a treat.”

James sat up straight at that, “football top,” he excitedly asked.

“We’ll see,” as though Harry hadn’t already bought it, both knowing what James had been asking about for the last little while.

“Thanks Dad,” he said before leaning back into her side. Pansy couldn’t help but smile contently.

“Don’t I get a present too,” she teased, watching Harry move his arm to brush her hair slightly.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

She may have lost the race, but she had definitely won when it came to her family.


End file.
